Droning

 

Laurie’s parents gave me a drone for Christmas. The above video is Spunk’s and my first go at flying it and taking aerial video. Spunk was sort of okay with the drone’s propellers spinning until it took off. Then he made a run for it as the airborne, buzzing beast followed him. The other cats were inside and didn’t partake in droning this go-round.

Lola’s Nick

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Lola with the nick in her left ear barely showing.

In an exchange of comments about Silver and Sasha, I told Resa that Silver is a bully. She asked if he bullied Spunk. The boy kitties bully each other but it’s all play, sparing and wrestling, nothing serious. However, when it comes to the girl kitties, Silver, Spunk and Loki bully and beat up on the girls. I mentioned that Lola got a nick in her ear recently, which I assume was Silver or Spunk bullying her, but I really don’t know who nicked her ear. Resa asked to see Lola’s nicked ear.

Lola’s nicked ear made me think of our old Tom cat Nick, who came to us around 2001. He tested positive for FIV (feline immunodeficiency virus), but he was such a sweet kitty, and had such an interesting personality, we had to keep him. He was a wonderful addition to our family, and showed no signs of illness until fall of 2007. He went down hill quickly and died around the beginning of November 2007.

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A better view of Lola’s nicked ear.
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Nick in 2003.

Sunset & Hawk

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Below is a Red-Tailed Hawk that was in an apple tree in Wagner’s orchard nextdoor. The first two photos were taken this morning, and remaining photos where taken this evening after sunset. The mud had dried a little in the evening, so I walked across the field to get closer photos. The hawk flew which allowed me to get backlit photos of it flying.

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Sandhill Cranes missiling over the orchard on their way to the river.
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Resa’s tree from the ditch bank.

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Silly Goose
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Robin’s Tree from the backside.